Powder dispensing top



March 5, 1935. A. VANDERVELD POWDER DISPENSING TOP Filed Aug. 2, 1934 Patented Mar. 5, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFl-CE.

1,993,499 'POWDERVDISPENSING TOP I Anthony Vanderveld, Grand Rapidsfltfich. Application August 2, 1934, Serial No. 738,072

. 12 Claims.

adapted to be used with containers for finely divided powder-like substance, one example of which is tooth powder.

In-dispensing tooth powder from a cylindrical can or container in which it is usually held, a

largelportion of the powder islost and does not deposit on the brush but failstherefrom and is not used. With my invention the dispensing of the tooth powder and depositing it. upon a tooth brush is very quickly, readily and easilyattainedand with the loss of very little or none of the] powder, substantially all of the same being readily and easily deposited upon thebrushand'not falling past the brush.

For the attainment of theseends I have produced a very simple, economical, easily operated. and particularly practical powder dispensing top or coverto be-appliedto the upper end of a containerfor finely divided powder, suchas tooth powder, understanding of which may berhad from the following description, taken inconnection-with the accompanying drawing, in which, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a receptacle for tooth powder equipped with 'thedispensing top or cover. of my invention.

Fig.3 is a fragmentary somewhat enlarged vertical section through the container, the dispensing mechanism being shown inside elevation.

V 'Fig. 3 is an underplan view of the dispensing top with the mechanism for dispensing the powder mounted thereon. 1 .Fig. 4 is a similarview, but with one of the elements broken away-and shown partly in cross section for a better disclosure of the construction. 1

Fig. 5 is a perspectiveview of the .two main parts of the mechanism designed tobe mounted within" and at the underside of the top.

Fig. 6 is a plan view and Fig. 7 is a fragmentary vertical section illustrating a slight .modification in the structure of theItop for greater ease of assembly of the parts, and ,7

. Fig.8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken in a plane circumferentially of the container shown in Fig. 1, through the opening 4 thereof, illustrating a slight modification 'inconstruction of the discharge opening.

Like reference characters refer to like parts 'in the differentfigures of the drawing. v

'The cylindrical container 1 for the powderis of usual form, to which is applied a cover having a horizontal upper side 2 and .a depending annular flange 3, inone side of which a somewhat elongated opening 4 is made through which thejpowder is ejected from the receptacle.

A-mem'ber '5Qof sheet metal is formed at its inner end with a lip 6 turned at right angles therefrom, .and'h'as an elongated slot '7 therein parallel to the sideedges of the member 5 and substantially midway between the same. At one side'of the member '5 and near 'itsmiddle an arm 8 extends outwardly from which a second arm 9 is turned at right anglesterminating in a hook 10. At '"the same side of the member 5 and between the'arm '8 and the lip 6 described'a tongue ll'is turned at right angles spaced a short distance from the adjacent edge'of the arm .8. Two tongues 12 and I3 are formed integral with the member 5, the tongue 12 at the same'side as the arm '8 while the tongue 13 is. struck from the member '5 at the opposite side edge.

From the center of .the upper side '2 of the top or cover a lpin. 1'4 depends passing through the slot? in the member 5. The annular flange of the top or coverhas' a narrow opening of sufficient width and length that the end of the member -.5 maybe inserted therethroug'h so as to project outwardly diametrically opposite the opening 4. Said member 5 7 may 'be moved through said s'lo't until stopped by the tongue 13 coming against the inner side of the annular flange '3. j

A second 'U-shaped member of sheet metal is providedv having an upper side l5, of the form best shown'in'Figfi, from which a curved tongue 16 extends at one side lying 'inthe same plane as the .part.15. This member is formed into substantially ll-shape, having a connecting portion 17' bent at'right ang les from one end of the part 15 'for a short distance, the metal being then bent "back under and parallel to the member 15 as indicated at 18, said part '18 terminating in a lip 1'9, the outer "face of which is curved to cone form substantially to the inner curved surface of the flange 3.

Alined openings are made through the parts 15 and 18 so thatthe member maybe placed over the pin 14. When thuslocated the lip 19 coversthe opening 4 and the tongue 16 passes between the tongue 11 and the lip 6 'as shown in Fig.3.

A coiled spring '20 is located over the arm 9 and above the hook '10 which keeps the same 9 from being accidentally disconnected from said arm. One end 521 of the. wire from the coiled spring "ZO isma'de engaging against the tongue 12 (Fig. 3) while the other end extends to and seats in .a groovemade around the pin 14.

With the parts assembled as described, the effect of the spring is to move the member 5 outwardly until the stop 13 engages against the flange 3 of the cover. The lip 19 closes the opening 14 and the powder material within the container is held from escape. The member 18 is provided with an opening 28 therein so that on inverting the container the powder will pass through said opening and around the edges of the part 18 so that a portion of the powderwill be between the lips 6 and 19.

Pressing upon the projecting end of the mem her 5 causes said member to slide inwardly over coming the spring. With such inward sliding movement the tongue 11 engaging against the tongue 16 turns the U-shaped member to the position shown in Fig, 4. This turning movement of the U-shaped member occurs in the forepart of the inward sliding movement of the member 5, after which the end of the tongue 16 bears against the inner side of the tongue 11 as shown in Fig. 4. Such turning movement of the U-shaped member moves the lip 19 to uncover the delivery opening 4 through which the powder is forced by the continued move: ment of the member 5, the lip 6 being back of the powder and forcing 'it outwardly through said opening. When the powder has been thus ejected and deposited upon an article, such as a tooth brush, a'release of the member 5 permits it to return to its original position under the force of the spring, and the outer curved edge of the tongue 16 and adjacent parts of the part 15' being" engaged by the lip 6, the U-shaped member is turned back to its originaliposition' wherein lip 19 covers the delivery opening 4.

In Figs. 6 and 7a slight modification in the shape and form of the cover is shown. That is, the flat upper portion 2 of the cover near one side is downwardly beveled as indicated at 264 and an opening 24 made therein considerably wider than the opening made in the flange 3 to pass the end of the member 5. Said opening 24 in the bevel permits a very ready and easy assembly of the slide member 5 as the same'can be inserted therethrough in a position like that indicated in dottedlines in Fig. 7. Then when turned to its full line position the opening 24 is substantially closed 'so that the powder cannot escape therethrough, Such form is more convenient for assembly of the parts than that illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive.

In Fig. 8 the metalaround the edges of the opening 4 is pressed slightly inward, as indicated at 4a, whereby the curved lip 19 rides against said edges and not with its entire surface. against an inner curved surface of the flange 3. This constructionfis preferred as it insures against any likelihood of freedom of movement of the lip 19 being restricted through powder lodging between said lip and the surface over which it moves.

The construction described is very simple, economical and'practical. It is jreadily made and quickly and easily assembled and with it waste of powder is substantially eliminated While the construction has been illustrated with the opening 4 in the downturned flange of a top to the receptacle 1', itis evident that tops without downturned annular flanges may be used to close the upper ends of receptacles and that the mechanism for dispensing the powder may be mounted on a substantially fiat plate top and the powder ejected through an opening made in the receptacle wall adjacent the end of a receptacle closed by such character of top. The invention therefore is not to be restricted to the specific disclosure made, but is to be considered comprehensive of all forms of structure coming Within the scope of the claims hereto appended which define the invention.

I claim:

1. A receptacle cover comprising a top. plate and a depending annular flange, said flange having an outlet opening at one side, an operating member slidably mounted for inward and outward movement extending through the side of said flange opposite said opening and ha ing a'lip at its inner end, a member mounted on the cover having a part normally closing said outlet opening, and means operatively connecting said operating member and the second mentioned member whereby on inward movement of the operating member the second member is moved to uncover said opening as the lip at the inner end of the operating member is moved toward said opening.

2. A- cup-like cover for an open top receptacle having a continuous annular flange to telescope over the upper end oi-the receptacle, said flange having an outlet opening therein, covering means mounted at the inner side of the cover normally closing said opening, an operating membermountedon and extending at one end through the flange of the cover and adapted to be moved inwardly and outwardly, said op erating-member and covering member having cooperating connection whereby the outlet opening is uncovered -upon inward movement of the operating member and covered on its outward movement. 7

v3. A construction containing the elements in combination defined in claim 2 combined with yielding spring means for normally moving the operating member outwardly and :the covering member to a position to cover said opening.

4. A covering top for powder holding receptacles comprising, an inverted cup-like member having a continuous annular flange with an outlet opening in a side thereof, a central pin mounted on and within and depending from the tuna flat bar slidably mounted on said pin and having an end extending through the flange opposite said outlet opening, a member pivotally mounted on said pin provided with a lip at its free end to close said outlet opening, and means on said bar engaging with said member for turning the same about the axis of said pin on inward sliding'movement of the bar to uncover said outlet opening.

5. A construction containing the elements in combination defined in claim 4, combined with spring means connected with said sliding bar normally tending to force the same outwardly, and a stop to limit its outward movement; said bar at its inner end having a lip turned at right angles therefrom which is moved toward the outlet opening on inward movement of the bar.

6. A cover for cylindrical powder holding receptacles having a top plate and a depending continuous annular flange, said flangehaving an outlet opening in one side, a pin located Within and depending from said plate, a flat longitudinally slotted metal bar located within the cover, the pin passing through said slot and the outer end of the bar extending through said annular flange opposite said'outlet opening, said bar at its inner end having a downturned lip, a member of sheet metal loosely mounted on said pin and formed of substantially U-shape with upper and lower parts connected at their inner ends, the lower part at its outer end having an upturned lip bearing against the inner side of the flange and normally closing said outlet opening, and means on said bar cooperatively engaging with the upper part of said U-shaped member for swinging the same back and forth about said pin on inward and outward movement of the bar.

7. A construction containing the elements in combination defined in claim 6 combined with a coiled spring carried by said bar and having one end engaging with the bar and the other end engaging with the pin, normally acting to move said bar outwardly, and a stop on the bar engaging with said flange to limit the outward movement of the bar.

8. A dispensing container having a discharge aperture near one end, a movable member normally closing said aperture, a manually operated member projecting outside the container and means operatively connected to the first member and the second member adapted, during the first part of its operative movement, to move the movable member away from said aperture, and during the latter part of its operative movement, to eject a portion of the contents of the container through said aperture.

9. A construction containing the elements in combination defined in claim 8, combined with spring means acting to return said members to normal position upon release of the operating member after the same has been operated.

10. A dispensing container having a discharge aperture near one end, the edges around said operture being bent inwardly to provide a narrowed seating edge, a movable member located to seat against said inbent edges to close said aperture, a manually operated member projecting outside the container and means operatively connected between the first member and the second member adapted, during the first part of its operative movement, to move the movable member to uncover said aperture and, during the latter part of its operative movement, to eject a portion of the contents of said container through the aperture.

11. A dispensing container having a discharge aperture near one end thereof, a member mounted at the inner side and at the same end of said container normally covering said aperture, and operating means mounted at the same end of the container connected with said member for manually moving the same to uncover said opening, said operating means moving toward said aperture and having means to eject a portion of the contents of said container through the aperture.

12. A dispensing container of the class de scribed having a top thereon, said top having a beveled portion adjacent its outer edge, one portion of the container being cut away to form a discharge aperture, movable means for closing the discharge aperture, said beveled portion of the top having a relatively wide opening therethrough, and operating means connected to the movableclosure means extending through this opening at an acute angle thereto.

ANTHONY VANDERVELD. 

